2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge - Announcement & Potential TBR

Happy Saturday everyone!  I hope everyone has had a good December so far!  In 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, I took part in the Popsugar Reading Challenge and I'll be back again in 2025 for more reading fun.  This time around there are 40 regular prompts and an additional 10 advanced prompts (some of which are easy, medium, and hard).  I think I'm going to have good reading year!  Keep reading to see my TBR for the 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge:

1. A book about a POC experiencing joy and not trauma

My choice: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - This fantasy romance sounds like it could be nice.

2. A book you want to read based on the last sentence

My choice: The Elementals by Morgan Llywelyn -"When the ice caps melted, the seas rose."  I'm also reading this for my Spell It Out Reading Challenge 2024 (which will run through July).

3. A book about space tourism

My choice: Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis - I haven't read much cozy sci-fi, but this sounds delightful.

4. A book with two or more books on the cover or "book" in the title

My choice: The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime (Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #10) by Vicki Delany - I've really enjoyed this cozy mystery series and I'm looking forward to this next installment which is being released on January 14th, 2024.  I've been listening the audiobooks and I hope to for this as well.

5. A book with a snake on the cover or in the title

My choice: The Man Who Spoke Snakish by Andrus Kivirahk - I going to be participating in the Read Around the World Challenge - Europe in 2025 and this is one of my picks.

6. A book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge

My choice: Silver Sandals by Clinton H. Stagg - This fulfills the read a book more than 100 years old prompt.  I picked this 1916 book up at a yard sale awhile ago, and it's time I get to it.

7. A book about a cult

My choice: Loving, Ohio by Matthew Erman and Sam Beck - I saw this YA horror graphic novel on Libby and thought it sounded intriging.

8. A book under 250 pages

My choice: Passing Strange by Ellen Klages - This LGBT+ historical fantasy novel is described as being inspired by pulps, film noir, and screwball comedy and I think it just sounds great.

9. A book that features a character going through menopause

My choice: The Change by Kirsten Miller - I hadn't heard of this until now, but this fantasy mystery sounds really cool.

10. A book you got for free

My choice: Quiet as a Nun (Jemina Shore #1) by Antonia Fraser - Look at this cover!

11. A book mentioned in another book

My choice: Moon of the Crusted Snow (Moon #1) by Waubgeshig Rice - I've heard this book is referenced in The Sentence by Louise Erdrich.

12. A book about a road trip

My choice: Memorials by Richard Chizmar - I'm really looking forward to this on audiobook given how much I've enjoyed his other works.  Plus, Michael Crouch is one of the narrators and he's always good.

13. A book rated less than three stars on Goodreads

My choice: Bodies by Si Spencer - The Netflix limited series Bodies was one of my favorite shows last year and I can't recommend it enough.  Then, I found out it was adapted from this graphic novel which has only a 2.85 rating on Goodreads.  I'll have to give it a try, but I have a feeling this will be a rare case of the adaptation is better than the source material.

14. A book about a nontraditional education

My choice: A Deadly Education (The Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik - This author has been a bit hit or miss with me from what I've read, but this does sound fantastic.

15. A book that an AI chatbot recommends based on your favorite book

My choice: The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen - I requested ChatGPT to recommend me a book like Six of Crows and this was one of the ones it spat out.  I've had this on my tbr for ages so I thought I would give it a try.  I had no idea that it could be considered similar to Six of Crows - this could be fun.

16. A book set in or around a body of water

My choice: My Buckeye Lake Story: A Memorable History of "The Playground of Ohio" by Donna Fisher Braig - I don't live too far away from Buckeye Lake and the history of it is pretty cool.  It's hard to believe it was an amusement park at one time that hosted some really well known big bands.

17. A book about a run club

My choice: Zombie Apocalypse Running Club by Carrie Mac - Okay, this sounds fun!

18. A book containing magical creatures that aren't dragons

My choice: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw - This horror fantasy mermaid story sounds like just the ticket.

19. A highly anticipated read of 2025

My choice: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children #10) by Seanan McGuire - I can't believe the 10th installment of this series is on the way - it's to be released January 7th, 2025.

20. A book that fills a 2024 prompt you'd like to do over (or try out)

My choice: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix - Hendrix is one of my favorite authors and I'm dying for this to be released on January 14th, 2025.

21. A book where the main character is a politician

My choice: All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren - I've had this novel on my list for way too long.  I don't often read books featuring politicians, but I've heard this is a classic.

22. A book about soccer

My choice: Blue Lock, Vol. 1 by Muneyuki Kaneshiro - I'm not really a sports person, but I've heard some great things about this series.

23. A book that is considered healing fiction

My choice: Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum - This does sound heartwarming!

24. A book with a happily single woman protagonist

My choice: The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - I've read some good reviews for this novel and it sounds pretty cozy.

25. A book where the main character is an immigrant or refugee

My choice: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee - I haven't seen the tv adaptation of this yet, but this novel has been recommended to me many times.

26. A book where an adult character changes careers

My choice: The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas - I couldn't say no to a horror novel featuring dinosaurs.

27. A book set at a luxury resort

My choice: The Sanitorium (Detective Elin Warner #1) by Sarah Pearse - I've had this sitting on my shelf for awhile and this is giving me perfect excuse to finally pick it up.

28. A book that features an unlikely friendship

My choice: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - I've been meaning to read this classic for ages now and this is a great time to get to it.

29. A book about a food truck

My choice: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo - I've noticed this author is quite popular at my library and didn't quite realize until recently that it featured a food truck.

30. A book that reminds you of your childhood

My choice: The Indian in the Cupboard (The Indian in the Cupboard #1) by Lynne Reid Banks - A babysitter that I used to go to had this on videotape.  Me and the other kids used to watch the heck out of it.  I didn't realize until recently that it was based on a book, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

31. A book where music plays an integral part of the storyline

My choice: Lament: The Faerie Queens Deception (Books of Faerie #1) by Maggie Stiefvater - I've read a lot of books from this author, but somehow I'd missed this.  I've missed reading this author.

32. A book about an overlooked woman in history

My choice: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot - I missed the boat on this originally, but better late than never.

33. A book featuring an activity on your bucket list

My choice: Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne - I would definitely love to do more traveling in the future.  I've seen a lot of adaptation of this that I thought I should finally read the original.

34. A book written by an author who is neurodivergent

My choice: In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune - I can't believe I haven't read this one yet.

35. A book centering LGBTQ+ characters that isn't about coming out

My choice: Radio Silence (Osemanverse #9) by Alice Oseman - I'm catching up on this author's releases slowly but surely.

36. A book with silver on the cover or in the title

My choice: A Demon in Silver (War of the Archons #1) by R.S. Ford - This has been sitting on my shelf for too long.  It's time to get to it.

37. Two books with the same title (1)

My choice: We Shall Be Monsters (We Shall Be Monsters #1) by Tara Sim - I've enjoyed what I've read from this author and this sounds very tempting.

38. Two books with the same title (2)

My choice: We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees - I'm glad I stumbled on this because it sounds pretty cool.

39. A classic you've never read

My choice: Emma by Jane Austen - I've seen several adaptations and have read retellings, but somehow I've missed out on the original.

40 A book about chosen family

My choice: The Raven King (All For the Game #2) by Nora Sakavic - I couldn't believe my luck when I found this sequel at a thrift shop.  I can't wait to see what happens here.

Advanced Prompts

41. A book by the oldest author in your TBR pile (easy)

My choice: Finders Keepers (Bill Hodges Trilogy #2) by Stephen King - I've been meaning to get to this sequel after how much I enjoyed book one.  I don't know if King is the oldest on my tbr pile but he was over 65 when it was written.

42. A book with a left-handed character (medium)

My choice: The Recruit (CHERUB #1) by Robert Muchamore - I wasn't at all familiar with this before I started looking for books to fit this prompt, but it sounds pretty adventurous and exciting.

43. A book where nature is the antagonist (medium)

My choice: In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick - I saw the movie adaption and Moby Dick, so now it's time to read what inspired both.

44. A book that features a married couple who don't live together (hard)

My choice: Before I Let Go (Skyland #1) by Kennedy Ryan - I've never tried this author, but first time for everything.

45. A book with a title that starts with the letter Y (easy)

My choice: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina - This has been on my radar for a long time and I did really like Medina's Burn Baby Burn, so maybe it's time to finally try this.

46. A book that includes a nonverbal character (easy)

My choice: The Thieves of Ostia (The Roman Mysteries #1) by Caroline Lawrence - I've heard a lot of great things about this series from other bloggers, so I've decided to give it a try.

47. A book you have always avoided reading (easy)

My choice: Ship Breaker (Ship Breaker #1) by Paolo Bacigalupi - No particular reason I've been putting this off for so long, but it's one of the oldest things on my Goodreads tbr.

48. A dystopian book with a happy ending (medium)

My choice: Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy - This classic wasn't at all on my radar until I was looking around for books to fulfill this prompt.  It sounds like it will be good.

49. A book that features a character with chronic pain (medium)

My choice: Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illness by Kristen O'Neil - I've been eyeing this on Playaway at the library for some time now and I'm glad I'll finally be getting around to it.

50. A book of interconnected short stories

My choice: My Man Jeeves (Jeeves #1) by P.G. Wodehouse - I loved the Jeeves and Wooster tv show with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.  I can't wait to try the stories.

Are you taking part in the 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge? Have you read any of these books? Which one should I read first? As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!